Useless Things
by EstiRose
Summary: Kamen Rider Kiva: Nago Keisuke finds something out about Wataru, and vows to save the world. Nago/Wataru, spoilers for episode 28. AU.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: **__I sometimes like playing around with rumors and such. This is one I've been working on since the airing of episode 28, which means it's a bit AU. I'm using some of the speculation/rumors/things apparently culled from magazines, but I've used them in my own way, so they're not going to precisely match the material in-show. If you've read this fic on my LJ, be aware that I'm combining several of the parts there into each part here._

_Also, this does, at the moment, have some distinctly slashy overtones, and some sexual references. If this is not your thing, please skip this story. _

_**Disclaimer: **__Characters belong to Toei and TV-Asahi, not me, with the exception of Drs. Takamoto and Takada, who do belong to me._

**Useless Things  
by Estirose  
c 2008**

Keisuke watched Wataru leave the cafe. He'd been so stunned by the revelation that Wataru was the son of the woman he'd met in 1986, the very powerful Fangire who hadn't shied away from slapping him. She'd been an amazing woman, it was unfortunate that she was a Fangire.

So, what was Wataru? Fangire? Part Fangire? Some unfortunate soul that was, for some reason, raised by a Fangire?

Wataru was spineless, weak, nothing like the woman he'd met in 1986. She'd probably made him that way. "Who was his father?" he wondered out loud. Why hadn't the man stood up to her, made Wataru strong?

"Kurenai Otoya," the cafe owner said. Keisuke thought back to the man who had been IXA, who was full of tricks - but he was bulled by his own woman, so he couldn't have been that strong. He took out a photo album out of one of the shelves and opened it, paging though it. "Ah, here." He pointed out a picture of three people to Keisuke.

Otoya, the past IXA, stood there with the woman he'd met, and she held a baby. Below the picture, a note was inscribed: "Kurenai Otoya, Kurenai Maya, and Kurenai Wataru, 1988".

"So, Wataru is her child?" Keisuke demanded. "Or did they..."

"Shima had paternity tests done," the cafe owner said, apparently remembering something. "He couldn't believe it either."

Wataru was half-Fangire. Did he know this? What was he raised as?

"You know, don't you," the cafe owner said, leaning forward and scrutinizing him carefully. "You know what Wataru is."

"Yes," Keisuke said abruptly, folding his arms.

"Wataru doesn't, and we'd like to keep it that way." The man had an intense stare when he wanted to, Keisuke noted. "Shima wasn't keen on having a Fangire member, but he relented in return for Maya never telling Wataru that he wasn't full human. Given what happened, everybody sees the wisdom in it."

"Kiva." Wataru was somehow involved in the near-destruction of the world, somehow.

The cafe owner nodded. "He doesn't know what happened, and he can't. If he does, or if he finds out what he is, he might come into his power."

Keisuke kept himself from shivering. So, Wataru had Maya's potential. Given how damned powerful Maya seemed to be, there was good reason to keep him ignorant.

"Of course, since Wataru doesn't know what he is, we can't stop him from discovering things himself. I mean, at least this whole thing with Suzuki-kun is keeping him distracted, but I'm not sure it's a good idea for him to have children, just in case."

He could grimly imagine what would happen if Wataru was a father and came into his power. Given what the Cafe Owner had implied, it was a good thing for him not to have a family. He might become very difficult for Keisuke to destroy. But not impossible, of course.

"I'll do something about that," he said.

He stalked into Wataru's house, not bothering to ring the doorbell. He never rang doorbells if he could help it. Wataru had left his door unlocked, which was very stupid of him. Nago would have to do something about that later.

On his way to the place, he'd grimly made a plan. Wataru was weak. Under Megumi's influence, he'd go and marry Suzuki Mio and have children, something that should not happen.

Keisuke had to get him under control again, protect him from these destructive influences. Sometimes the strong had to do that for the weak. Sometimes the warriors had to do it for the innocent. He'd thought about just killing Wataru, but Wataru was not a criminal, he was an innocent, if a incredibly destructive one if he found out his true heritage.

* * *

"Nago-san?" Wataru asked, quite startled to see Nago in his doorway. Nago recalled that Wataru made violins - not something that really contributed to humanity, but probably something that kept Wataru inside and harmless. He'd have to allow Wataru to keep working on violins. But that was all he was going to allow him to do with music. Actually, playing them would probably also keep him distracted, so Nago would have to allow that, too.

Seizing the moment, he strode over to where Wataru was, grabbed the other man's shoulders, and kissed him.

"... Nago-san?" Wataru asked again, more than a little confused.

"You're mine, now," he said, looking sharply at Wataru, still holding onto his shoulders.

"Nago-san?" Wataru asked once more. "Are you all right?" He looked at Keisuke as if he wasn't sure that Keisuke hadn't gone mad. "Should I get Kengo-san?"

"No!" Eritate Kengo would only put the world in danger by allowing Wataru to get in danger, and if Wataru got in danger, he might discover his heritage by accident. Some Fangire might recognize him for what he was and tell him.

Wataru merely nodded, accepting Keisuke's demand. He was hopeless as a human, and guiding him on the right path put him in danger of triggering the power within him.

"Just remember: you are mine now. Not anybody else's." It was a good thing, Keisuke thought, that he hadn't been planning to have children himself. Wataru didn't have to love him - in fact, it was better if he didn't - but he had to obey Keisuke's demands. In return, he'd keep the boy protected and sexually satisfied so he wouldn't even look at a woman - and if he did, Keisuke could punish him for it. "Understood?"

"I understand," Wataru said, and Keisuke gave him a satisfied nod.

He stalked out, leaving Wataru with his useless things. Because no matter how misguided Wataru was sometimes, he was still a civilian. Still believed he was human. And Keisuke, as long as it didn't inconvenience him too much, would help keep up the pretense. After all, he was Keisuke Nago. He was IXA. And he was the best in the world.

* * *

Wataru watched as Nago-san closed the door, and walked to the window, making sure the man had left before turning. "Kivat, what was that about?"

Why had Nago-san acted the way he did? Nago-san had used him off and on as an assistant, but not as of late, and it didn't make sense for him to make a move on Wataru. Wataru hadn't even thought of the possibility that Nago-san liked guys, but it made sense. And Nago-san was very demanding. Wataru wondered what would happen if he told him 'no'.

"I don't know, Wataru," Kivat said, unfolding himself from his perch. "I'm sure it doesn't mean anything good."

"I wonder if Megumi-san could explain it? She works with him, after all." They had each others' cellphone numbers. He was pretty sure he couldn't ask anybody else. Shizuka-chan might be able to help in general. Kengo-san liked Nago-san, but didn't know him well, and he wouldn't burden Mio-san, even when he found her.

"Maybe," Kivat said in a noncommital manner.

Wataru pulled out his cellphone and dialed Megumi-san's number. "Megumi-san?"

"Oh, hi, Wataru-kun," the woman said, clearly surprised to hear his voice. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, but very confused," he said. "May I ask you something?"

"Sure," she said. He imagined her sitting down, ready to answer his question.

"Does Nago-san like guys?"

"Nago? What? The only person he likes is himself." She paused. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, he kissed me, and-" He hoped he sounded as confused to her as he did to himself.

"Nago Keisuke kissed you?" Megumi-san asked. "Wataru-kun, are you sure of this?"

"Yes," he said, wondering why she didn't think he was sure.

"Wataru-kun, I'm coming down there. I'll ring the doorbell, okay?" Megumi-san sounded worried, and he had to admit, it was a bit strange for Nago-san.

"Okay," he said.

He waited for Megumi-san to arrive, rushing down to open the gate for her and ushering her upstairs. "So, tell me what happened," she said.

"Nago-san showed up in my workshop," he said. "Then he kissed me and told me I was his." He frowned. "And nobody else's. I asked him if he needed Kengo-san, and he said no. And then he left."

"And you're sure he kissed you?" Megumi-san asked.

Wataru nodded, wanting to show Megumi-san so she knew he knew what kissing was. "Like this." He grabbed her shoulders and kissed her.

"Wataru-kun," she said, once he'd released her, "I'm going to go have a talk with Nago-kun. In the meantime, have you heard from Mio-chan?"

He shook his head. "No," he said. "I've looked for her, and looked for her..."

"Maybe you should look for her," Megumi-san said. "She's better for you than Nago-kun."

"Okay, Megumi-san," Wataru said, still confused by the whole goings-on. "But why did Nago-san do that to me?"

"That's what I intend to find out," Megumi-san said. "Don't worry, I'll straighten it out." She gave him a strained smile.

Wataru nodded, and returned to his work.

* * *

Megumi stormed over to Nago Keisuke as he sat in the cafe. "What in the hell do you think you're doing to Wataru-kun?" she asked.

"Quiet down, please," Nago said, folding his arms. "I'm doing this for the good of the world." He looked over at her with a foreboding expression. "What do you know if it?"

"He called me, wanting to know why you kissed him," she said, taking a seat next to him. "Apparently, you like guys. You scared him."

"Good," Nago said. "And I don't like anybody. I did it because I had to. And quiet down, please! We're right next to each other, sound like you actually were raised in civilized society."

She glared at him, and decided it was best not to tell him that she hadn't for part of her life. He'd use it against her. "You kissed Wataru-kun because you had to."

"Because he, and the world, are in a lot of danger if someone doesn't put him under control, and I can handle him," Nago said. "I kissed him to put a claim on him. Please don't interfere."

"You just want him because you're gay," Megumi said, "And you can't let your playthings live by anything but your own rules." She knew she was rambling on, that she was lying, but she didn't care as long as it got Wataru-kun free.

"I am not gay!" Nago said. "I am doing an important service to this world. You can't possibly understand the ramifications. You'll thank me someday."

"Right," Megumi drawled. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"And Wataru is mine," Nago said. "If you value your life, please don't interfere. In fact, don't go near Wataru ever again."

"Are you threatening me, Nago-kun?" she asked deliberately.

"I'm stating fact," Nago said. "If you do continue to interact with Wataru, you'll regret it."

Poor Wataru-kun. He didn't deserve Nago. He deserved sweet, shy Mio, a girl that was good for him. "And if you try to stop me, you'll regret it. Good day, Nago-kun."

She got up to return to Wataru-kun. Or maybe to find Mio-chan. She wasn't sure, she just knew that Wataru deserved so much more than Nago. And she would do anything to make sure that Nago didn't interfere.

Keisuke fumed as Megumi left. Wataru was disobeying his instructions only minutes after he gave them to the younger man, apparently. He'd have to put together instructions, because apparently Wataru had to be told in detail on what was expected of him.

Maybe Keisuke would find something worthwhile that Wataru could do for humanity, while keeping Wataru occupied. If Wataru was occupied, he couldn't find out what he was, or father any kids.

Keisuke started writing up a list for Wataru. Detailed was best. He then drove back to Wataru's place, not bothering with the doorbell or knocking, and stormed up to Wataru's main work room.

Wataru looked up. "Nago-san?" he asked. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Keisuke grabbed Wataru's arm and hauled him to a nearby couch. "I think there are some rules you need to understand."

The younger man seemed about to protest, and Keisuke glared at him. "First of all, you do not argue with me."

Wataru closed his mouth, much to Keisuke's satisfaction.

"You are not allowed any contact with any women. That includes Megumi." He glared at the boy. "Unless it's a purely professional transaction." Wataru probably had to grocery shop, after all, and he probably did have customers. "Understood?"

"But Nago-san-"

"UNDERSTOOD?" Keisuke repeated, glaring at the other person. "What's the first rule?"

"Don't argue with you," Wataru said softly.

"You're allowed to buy goods, you're allowed to have customers, you're allowed to play whatever musical instrument you want, as long as I'm not within earshot. I do not want to hear any music. I don't care if you and Eritate Kengo play all night in your little band, I just don't want to hear it."

"But Nago-san, Shizuka-chan is in the band too," Wataru whined.

"She's not now," Keisuke said in irritation. "Break the news to Eritate Kengo."

Wataru stared at him.

"If you feel the need to have sex, you come to me." There was no denying who would be on top, but he would make sure that the boy was satisfied, if only so that he wouldn't try to seek it with someone else.

"Nago-san, are you sure you're all right?" Wataru asked. Keisuke looked into his dark eyes, wondering if the boy got them from his Fangire mother or his human father.

"I'm fine," he said abruptly, hoping to discourage further discussion. "If you encounter any Fangire, you are to call me and get out of there. Do not dawdle, do not attempt to befriend the Fangire, you will get out of there. If it turns out you've befriended one, call me immediately. Do not continue contact."

Wataru was still sitting there like a stupid sheep. "Are you listening to me?" Keisuke asked, his voice rising.

"Yes," Wataru said in a quiet tone. At least he wasn't arguing.

Keisuke thrust a piece of paper with his rules at Wataru. "Read these, and live by them."

"Nago-san, are you sure you're all right?" Wataru asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Keisuke snapped. "I'm doing my job to save the world." He remembered Wataru's mother, who had so enchanted him. Even if she was a damned Fangire, he liked her. He just didn't want Wataru to discover he had powers.

But what if he could control Wataru, and control Wataru's powers? That was something to think about. First, he had to make sure that Wataru was under his control, and then...

And then, he'd tell Wataru what he was. The Fangire power would awaken inside the boy, and he could use him to fight off the Fangire and save the world. He would get the respect he was entitled to.

One step at a time. He'd have to break Wataru's will, tighten the cord around the boy's freedoms until the boy was reliant only on him for support. And then he'd awaken what Wataru was. He'd start with the rules he'd given Wataru and go from there. Wataru had a small spark of rebellion against him, but Maya had made sure that he wasn't anything that anybody would be afraid of.

"But... I can't be what you want me to be," Wataru bleated. "Nago-san, I admire you, but-"

Keisuke grabbed the front of Wataru's t-shirt, along with a portion of his scarf. "You can either be my boyfriend, live within my strictures, or I can kill you," he warned. "I will do it to save everything."

Wataru bowed his head in submission.

Smiling, Keisuke stood up. "If you don't, I'll punish you. If needs be, I'll kill you. It's your choice. Understand?"

"Yes," Wataru said, head still bowed, looking at Keisuke's shoes.

"Good." Keisuke let Wataru stay on the couch. He'd devise punishments if needed, but he hoped they weren't. On the other hand, everybody needed to learn their place. Wataru would too. "And don't forget rule number five - lock your door."

He thought he heard a mumbled "Okay" before he left the room.


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer and notes in part 1._

**Useless Things  
by Estirose  
part 2**

Wataru looked at Nago-san's rules. There was something very wrong with Nago-san, he could tell. Nago-san was a good man, in blinded by some things.

He had to find help for Nago-san. Nornally, he'd ask Shizuka-chan, but Nago-san had, for some reason, forbidden him to deal with women, and he didn't want to make Nago-san's condition worse. Megumi-san was out, too.

As Mio-san would be, if he knew where she was.

Wataru didn't know many guys. There was Nago-san himself, Kengo-san, the cafe owner, and Shima-san. He could probably talk to Kengo-san, but the boisterous musician wasn't exactly subtle and he didn't want to make Nago-san's condition worse. Shima-san was Nago-san's boss, he might order Nago-san to keep away from Wataru, but that might only make Nago-san's condition worse. The cafe owner might be the only one he could turn to.

"Wataru," Kivat said, unperching himself, "Do you intend to let that man rule your life?"

"I didn't agree to any of his rules," Wataru said. He'd been careful not to. "But I don't want to hurt him."

Kivat snorted. "He's one step away from hurting you," he said. "I'll talk to Shizuka."

"Kivat..." Wataru started to say, then realized Kivat was right. Nago-san had only required Wataru not to talk to any women; he hadn't said anything about Kivat. He didn't even know about Kivat. Which was good. Knowing about Kivat would mean figuring out that Wataru was Kiva. Nago-san knowing that Wataru was Kiva was bad enough when Nago-san was all right; this could be a disaster in his current shape. "You're right."

"Of course I am," Kivat said. Wataru opened a window for him and let him out, closing it after him.

Tatsulot, who had taken up residence with Wataru, swirled around his head. "Cheer up, Wataru-san! Things will get better!"

"I hope so," Wataru said. He decided to head for the cafe. Nago-san wouldn't be there anyway. He liked to choose his times when he was there, and in the afternoon he had things to do. Besides, at the cafe, he felt like he was recognized and someone who belonged there.

He left Tatsulot at the house and soon arrived at the cafe. The owner seemed surprised to see him there, but cheerfully served him a drink. He was the only customer there at the moment. Wataru worked up the courage to ask what he wanted to ask. "Do you know Nago-san well?" he asked.

"He has been coming in here for quite some time," the cafe owner said guardedly. "Why?"

"Has he been acting strangely to you?" Wataru asked. "He came to my house and said some very strange things to me."

"Not to me, no," the cafe owner said hesitantly. "What strange things?"

Wataru didn't want to pour all his troubles onto the other man, but he hoped that telling him a little bit would help. "He wants to run my life," he said simply. He didn't mention the boyfriend thing. "Who I can't see, what I can't do, what I can do."

"That's very possessive, even for Nago-kun," the cafe owner said. "Have you told him no?"

"I tried objecting, and he snapped and told me not to argue," Wataru said.

"This is bad," the cafe owner said. "You're your own person, Wataru-kun, you should live your own life."

Wataru nodded. "I just wish that I knew why he's acting this way. From his rules, he seems to think I'm in danger of befriending and sleeping with a female Fangire." He knew it was safe to use the term; the Wondrous Blue Sky Association used the word there all the time.

The cafe owner scratched his head. "I'm not sure what he's intending," he said, "But you're going to have to stand up to him, Wataru-kun."

Wataru nodded again. "Thank you," he said, and finished his drink, paying the cafe owner.

"Good luck!" the cafe owner said.

He returned home to find Megumi-san ringing his doorbell.

* * *

Megumi rang Wataru-kun's doorbell repeatedly, in hopes that it would annoy him enough to come down. She was sure Nago-kun had intimidated the poor boy, and that Wataru needed a helping hand.

"Megumi-san?" Wataru asked hesitantly behind her.

She turned. "Wataru-kun. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Wataru-kun said. "It's Nago-san that's sick." He looked at her plaintively. "Megumi-san, can you help me?"

Megumi nodded. "Yes, I can," she said. "Let's go inside." If Nago took issue with her being in Wataru's house, then he could take it up with her.

She followed him up to his workshop, where he offered her tea. He was very domestic, she decided. And very quiet, very easy for Nago-kun to intimidate. She picked up a piece of paper, recognizing Nago-kun's handwriting. "Rules," it said, with a list of rules for Wataru to follow. "Don't talk back, don't talk to any women unless they're customers or serving you, don't get near any Fangire..." Nago-kun seemed ready to run Wataru-kun's life for him. Wataru-kun seemed a little bit weird sometimes, but he seemed like he was an independent adult.

"Nago-san left me a lot of rules," Wataru-kun said, taking the list from her. "I can't think of why he'd think I'm in danger of sleeping with a Fangire."

"I don't know either, Wataru-kun," Megumi said. "How long has he been acting like this?"

"The last time he wasn't acting weird was when I dropped all my change at the cafe," Wataru said. "He looked stunned, but he was okay. I guess he was interested in a button my mother gave me when I was little." He took out a button from somewhere. "But I don't know why it would cause him to act this way."

"I don't know, Wataru-kun, but I'll find out," Megumi promised. "And in the meantime, don't feel obligated to follow his rules if they prevent you from doing anything."

Wataru nodded shyly, and Megumi resolved to find Mio-chan and have her date Wataru-kun. It would make both of them feel better.

* * *

Megumi swept into the exercise room that Shima-san always worked at. "Shima-san," she said firmly. "Nago-kun has gone mad."

"Has he?" Shima-san asked. "What did he do, precisely?"

"Well, for one, he kissed Wataru-kun," Megumi said. "And then he claimed it was for the sake of the world. And gave Wataru-kun a list of rules on what he could and couldn't do. Nago-kun needs help."

Shima-san stopped his workout for the moment. "If he's doing what I think he's trying to do..." Shima looked over at her. "Then he's come across some information he's not supposed to, and he's trying to save the world in his own way."

"By kissing Wataru-kun?" Megumi asked skeptically.

"Twenty years ago," Shima-san said, "I accepted a Fangire into the Wondrous Blue Sky organization. She was pregnant. She promised to help us out, and she did, by giving us Kiva. That turned out to be a disaster."

Megumi nodded. She'd known tragic things had happened with the old wielder, but not precisely what.

"That Fangire was Wataru's mother. His father was a human member of the organization." He paused for a moment. "When his mother told me that he could come into his power someday, especially if he knew what it was, I forbade her to ever tell him about it. I figured that Wataru would be easier to deal with if he was raised as a human with no clue of his Fangire heritage. As it is, I've gathered information that Wataru's beginning to come into that heritage. The main thing we have to do is keep him from losing his humanity in the process."

"So, Nago-kun's somehow decided that Wataru needs his life run for him?" Megumi asked. It made a horrible amount of sense.

Shima-san nodded and hauled a cellphone out of wherever he'd been hiding it. "I'm guessing that's what he decided." He made a call. "Yes. Can you make it to the gym as fast as possible? Yes." He hung up the phone. "He'll be here."

"Good," Megumi said, "Because he can't run Wataru-kun's life for him."

"I agree," Shima-san said. "And I'll try to get him to stop."

"Just as long as he's not trying to control everything in sight," Megumi said.

Nago-kun walked in a few minutes later as they continued to talk.

* * *

Keisuke walked in to where Megumi was standing with Shima-san. "Yes?" he asked. He wondered, since Megumi was there, if she'd gone to complain about his behavior to Shima-san. Shima-san knew about Wataru, knew how dangerous Wataru would be when awakened. He'd be on Keisuke's side.

"I hear that you know about Kurenai Wataru," Shima-san said.

"Yes," Keisuke said, glancing at Megumi. "Is this about him?"

Shima-san nodded. "Tell me what you know about him."

Keisuke mentally rolled his eyes. "The important thing is that he's half-Fangire, and his powers don't function while he's ignorant. And he shouldn't have a family, especially children."

Megumi looked surprised at Keisuke's words. He ignored her, focusing on Shima-san.

"You're partially right," Shima said. "The ignorance is so that he continues his alleigance to humanity instead of the Fangire. He's got some powers manifesting anyway, but they seem to be purely unconscious. He doesn't seem to be aware of them."

"And the family?" Keisuke asked. "Do we want him passing along his Fangire blood?" He hoped they wouldn't. He'd look down on them if they did.

"No," Shima-san said. "We need to keep him away from that, and keep him calm. If his powers manifest, they'll be out of passion more than anything else." The older man was staring at something that wasn't his mirrored reflection.

"Then he needs a boyfriend," Keisuke said. "And he does need to have his life controlled." He was doing it right. Wataru needed his guidance, just in a different way.

"He thinks you've gone insane," Megumi snapped.

"I'm only doing what's good for him," Keisuke said calmly. "I know what needs to be done, and I'll do it." Keeping Wataru under his control would be the simplest thing... and he'd make the boy do whatever was needed to unleash his powers later on.

"Hate can be a strong emotion too," Shima-san said mildly. "Make sure you don't turn him against his own kind."

Keisuke snorted. "I will continue being his 'boyfriend', and I'm going to make sure he stays put." He'd do this, no matter how stupid it seemed.

"Wataru likes girls," Megumi said. "Not guys."

"He's going to learn to like me," Keisuke told her. "Because that's all the choice he'll have."

"I would suggest," Shima-san said, "Getting to know him and his interests, if you're going to play a part of his life."

Keisuke frowned. Didn't Shima-san realize that he was going to have to deal with useless things like musical instruments? But on the other hand, it would probably be a good idea to see what drove Wataru, just so that he could control him better. "I'll do that."

He left the gym, intent on seeing Wataru again. But first, he went home and packed a suitcase.

* * *

"Nago-san?" As usual, Wataru looked confused. "You're bringing a suitcase this time?"

"I'm staying at your house for a few days. It was suggested that I... tweak... my rules to something more realistic." He put the suitcase down. "So, I'm staying with you for a week. Understand?"

Wataru gaped, and then seemed to remember his place. "Understood."

"Good. Do you make your own dinner, or..." He hoped that Wataru understood the concept of a nutritious meal.

"I make my own, Nago-san," Wataru said. "Do you want me to make some for you, too?"

"Please," Keisuke said. He wanted to see what Wataru was eating, if his diet needed to be fixed. "And please show me around your house."

Wataru bowed. He gave Keisuke a tour of the place, which was not very big. It didn't need to be, if it served as a adequate prison if needed.

"You're not locking your doors," Keisuke said as Wataru finished.

"I need to have my doors unlocked," Wataru said. "That's how my customers get in."

Fine. One small rebellion. If that was the only problem he had with Wataru, he could live with it.

He was left sitting at Wataru's little table while Wataru worked upstairs. Finally, the younger man - half-human, Keisuke reminded himself - finished, going into the small kitchen.

Keisuke waited impatiently for Wataru to cook. When the boy came out, Keisuke was pleased to see that Wataru knew both how to cook and how to set a table, and he had some idea of nutrition. Wataru seemed to be a traditionalist when it came to food, and Keisuke wondered who had taught him to be that way.

Eating his food, he could easily imagine living here, with Wataru to cook his meals. They ate in silence, Keisuke observing Wataru and his table manners, which were fine. He'd have to take Wataru out somewhere in order to observe how he did with European table etiquette.

"Did you remember to lock the doors?" Keisuke asked.

"Yes," Wataru said. His tone was subdued. Keisuke approved.

"Good," Keisuke said. He watched Wataru go upstairs, presumably to work more on violins. Instead, he heard an instrument being tuned, and then soft violin music. He tensed, but he didn't stop Wataru. He was supposed to keep Wataru calm, and if the violin music made Wataru calm, Keisuke would tolerate it - if barely - for the sake of the world.

Eventually, Wataru came back downstairs and turned down the bed. Keisuke had inspected it earlier, realizing he'd spent time in this same bed - or at least the same nook - back in 1986, when Wataru's father had thought he was suicidal.

"Here's your bed, Nago-san," Wataru said, indicating his own bed.

"And where are you sleeping?" Keisuke asked. He hadn't seen a guest bedroom. Maybe it was that room full of boxes that Wataru had shown him.

Wataru shrugged. "I'll find a place. Upstairs."

Keisuke eyed Wataru's bed. There might be enough room for the two of them in it. "I have a better idea." Wataru had to be convinced that sleeping with men, not women, was the way his life was going to be now. There was no way that Keisuke was going to allow Wataru to pass along his Fangire bloodline.

"What is it, Nago-san?" Wataru asked, not sure as to what Keisuke meant.

"You are my boyfriend," Keisuke stated. "We'll sleep together."

Wataru backed up. "That's okay, Nago-san, I'll be perfectly okay upstairs."

Keisuke stepped forward, striding until he was right in Wataru's space. "What's the first rule?"

"Don't argue with you," Wataru said. "But Nago-san, my bed is too narrow for the both of us."

"No, it isn't," Keisuke said, and pulled Wataru in that direction.

* * *

Wataru woke up early the next morning on the floor of his workshop. After Nago-san had fallen asleep, he'd crawled out of their shared bed and did his best to sleep on his floor. Nago-san was his guest, after all, even if he hadn't wanted him there.

He snatched up a piece of paper and wrote a note to Nago-san. "To Nago-san: I've gone out to look for ingredients for a new violin varnish. I'll be back later in the day. - Wataru." He was only somewhat lying about the varnish; he was probably overdue to work on a new batch. But he was mostly going out to talk to people, especially Kivat. He didn't want Nago-san to discover Kivat. He still wasn't sure why Nago-san decided that they were dating, but hopefully Nago-san would figure out that they were wrong for each other soon.

Leaving the note on the table, along with some breakfast, he headed out, snacking on his own breakfast food. "Kivat," he said, knowing that the bat wasn't far behind.

The bat swooped around him. "This is still bad."

"Did you get in touch with Shizuka-chan?" Wataru asked.

"Yes, I did. She wanted to meet you - she says your favorite spot in the park." Kivat hovered next to him. "She wants to confront him."

Wataru nodded. Shizuka-chan would do what Shizuka-chan would do, and he'd learned not to hold her back. "I'll meet her there. When?"

"Nine o'clock," Kivat said. "I'd have told you earlier, but you were arguing with that man."

"Nago-san, you mean?" Wataru dropped his head. "I just didn't want to sleep with him."

"Wataru," Kivat said, "You have very important things in your future. Things about yourself that you don't understand. Even now, you have the power to tell him no. I think you should use that power."

Considering Kivat's words, Wataru nodded. He should rebel. He should push Nago-san out of the house, out of his life as much as he could. If they could stop him from being IXA, all the better.

He sat down on a bench. He'd admired Nago-san at first, accepted him as IXA even though the other man bizarrely wanted to kill him for something he didn't even do, been his assistant. He'd even tried to tell Nago-san that he was Kiva, but Nago-san hadn't listened. He hoped it didn't take him going into the Kiva armor to get Nago-san to back down.

Wataru had to get Nago-san out of there before Nago-san discovered Kivat and figured things out.

"I should get in touch with Megumi-san," he said out loud. Megumi-san might know what happened to Nago-san. Nago-san said he'd been talked to, maybe by Shima-san. Maybe Megumi-san had been present.

If he was going to confront Nago-san he had to gather courage. Being around the people he wasn't supposed to be around was good. It would help him believe that he could defy Nago-san's orders and rules.

He took out his phone and called Megumi-san, but got her voicemail. He left a message. Checking the time, he headed to the park to meet Shizuka-chan.

She was waiting when he got there, arms folded. "Wataru, what have you gotten yourself into?" she demanded.

"I'm... not sure," Wataru said. Nago-san had thrown his life in disorder; he hadn't really been able to sit down and think before that morning.

"Well, if you won't talk to this Nago, I will," Shizuka said, boldly dropping off Nago-san's honorific. "You and your dates! First you get this girl who runs off on you, and then you get a boyfriend?"

"I didn't ask for him to be my boyfriend, Shizuka-chan," Wataru explained patiently. "I haven't gotten him to understand that yet."

"Well, you're too young to date," Shizuka said. "And men don't date men."

"They don't?" Wataru asked. Was this one of those things that his mother had never bothered to explain?

"No, they don't," Shizuka said. "It's... ewwww."

"Oh, okay," Wataru said. "But about Nago-san..."

"We'll take care of this right now," Shizuka said, grabbing his arm. "I'm going to save you from the filthy pervert."

"Um. Okay," Wataru said, letting Shizuka-chan lead him back to his house and march him up the stairs.

Nago-san was eating breakfast downstairs as Shizuka-chan hauled Wataru down the stairs to his bedroom/dining room. "You," she said sharply. Her language was still fairly polite, but Wataru was glad he wasn't Nago-san.

"I thought I told you-" Nago-san beyond, but Shizuka-chan had crossed the space between her and Nago-san.

"Wataru can see anybody he likes," Shizuka-chan said boldly. "He's not yours, he doesn't have to follow your stupid rules, and you're going to leave this place and not bother Wataru ever again!"

"You have no idea what's at stake," Nago-san said in response, not bothering to get up. He scowled at Shizuka-chan. "Or you wouldn't be talking to me like that."

"I bet you're just using any excuse you can possibly manage to convince Wataru to be your boyfriend," Shizuka-chan countered. "If it's your pride at stake, you're just going to have to lose it."

"It's far more serious than that," Nago-san argued, getting up. "The fate of the world might be at stake."

"Wataru, tell him that he's tresspassing and has to leave, and that he's harrassing you," Shizuka-chan said.

Nago-san glared at him. "Well, she does have a point," Wataru said hesitantly. "I don't think we make good boyfriends."

"When the fate of the world is at stake," Nago-san said, "we do." He grabbed Wataru's arm.

Shizuka-chan, on the other hand, had grabbed Nago-san's suitcase. She glared at him. "Well, I think you're dangerous and Wataru likes girls!" She grabbed Wataru's arm. "And we're going to call the police."

"We are?" Wataru asked as she hauled him towards the stairs.

"Yes, we are," Shizuka said assertively. Wataru was wondering how to get himself out of the situation when his phone rang. He had it in his hand before Nago-san stole it away from him and answered it. He could feel Shizuka-chan tugging him away.


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimers and notes in part 1._

**Useless Things  
by Estirose  
c 2008**

Keisuke answered Wataru's cell phone. "Yes?" he barked, spotting Megumi's name on the display.

"What are you doing with Wataru-kun's phone?" Megumi demanded.

"I confiscated it," Keisuke said. He noticed that Wataru - and his clothes - had been dragged off by the teenager. No matter. Wataru would have to return sooner or later. When he did, Keisuke would yell at him and punish him. Yelling at Wataru seemed to work, at least.

"You don't run his life," Megumi told him. "No matter what Shima-san said-"

"If anybody can handle Wataru and his powers," Keisuke said, "I can. I will become his lover, his confidante, everything that he needs in order to keep him from Fangire influence."

"You?" Megumi said scornfully. "You're like a steamroller. You don't care about his feelings. If any of us has to do this, it should be someone who respects him."

Snorting, Keisuke answered, "I don't have to care about his feelings. And this way, we don't have to worry about a pregnancy, either." Why Megumi thought she'd be an appropriate guardian for Wataru, he didn't know. She'd be too soft on Wataru, and the last thing Wataru needed was soft. And the last thing they wanted was a second generation with the power Wataru could apparently have. "Please stop trying to communicate with Wataru until I allow it. Goodbye."

He closed the connection and slipped Wataru's phone into one of his pockets. His own phone rang; he glanced at it, saw Megumi's name, and ignored it. She'd go back to their boss, he knew, but he'd deal with that later.

Right now, it was best to convince Wataru not to call the police on him.

And he would, under that girl's influence. This was a prime example why Wataru had to be watched over; he was easily influenced. Keisuke wasn't sure how that had happened, but he knew the danger of leaving Wataru on his own. All the Fangire had to do was figure out what he was, and the power that Wataru potentially wielded would be used against humanity.

And given the power he'd seen from Wataru's mother, the last thing humanity needed was for Wataru to side with the Fangire. Even if he was weaker, being only half Fangire, he still was a possible threat.

He walked out of the house, striding forward in hopes that Wataru and the girl would stay nearby. He saw Wataru sputtering, trying to come up with reasons not to call the police. Keisuke smiled. It seemed that some of his work was already done; Wataru had at least some loyalty to him. The girl, however, didn't seem so convinced.

"Nago-san," Wataru said, acknowledging Keisuke.

"What are you doing here?" the girl asked. "Wataru, call the police."

"I think we can talk this out," Wataru told her. He smiled at Keisuke.

"Right, Nago-san?"

That was fine by Keisuke, because dealing with the police was annoyng and messy, and prevented him from doing what he needed to get done. He nodded.

"Wataru..." The girl whined, "He's-"

"Give him a chance, Shizuka-chan," Wataru said. "I think he just needs some help."

"He needs to be hauled off to jail, that's what he needs," the girl muttered, but Keisuke ignored her.

* * *

They sat down at a family restaurant, with Wataru insisting on paying, as if to defuse the situation. The girl that Wataru called "Shizuka-chan" sat defiantly next to him, with Keisuke sitting on the other side of the table. For all of her talk of Wataru being independent, she certainly wasn't beyond trying to control him herself. Keisuke just did it better.

Keisuke saw through Shizuka's pathetic little game. She was preparing Wataru to be a meek husband that she could manipulate. If her ignorant game hadn't been such a threat to the world, he wouldn't have minded it. Courting was a stupid thing, it distracted people from being their best.

But he did let Wataru talk to her here, where he could supervise them. Once he knew all he could, he'd turn Wataru's attention to what Shizuka was up to, and that would make Wataru realize what she wanted from him.

"I want what's best for Wataru, too," he told Shizuka. "He's different in ways that you possibly couldn't imagine." He wondered if Shizuka knew that one of Wataru's parents wasn't human. Probably she wouldn't care, or say she wouldn't. But he did.

"Um, Nago-san," Wataru said. "I appreciate what you're saying, but..."

"Rule number 1," Keisuke warned.

Wataru started, but continued his sentence. "I'm not interested in dating right now."

"That's fine," Keisuke said abruptly. "Neither am I."

"But you said..." Wataru trailed off, apparently not understanding.

"He just wants to run your life for you," Shizuka said, folding her arms.

Wataru nodded. "Nago-san, why do you want me to keep from sleeping with - um, certain women?" he asked.

"Certain women?" Keisuke echoed. He wanted Wataru to stop sleeping with all women, he didn't know why Wataru thought it was only certain women.

"Your rules," Wataru said, as if it made sense to everybody. "You said to not talk to any women and stay away from... certain people."

The Fangire. Wataru had come to an incorrect conclusion about what he wanted, but he had a good point. If Wataru passing on his power with a human partner was terrifying, it was even worse if Wataru fell for a Fangire. It was critical that he reinforced parts of the rules. "We'll talk about it later."

A wise man had once said that plans rarely stand up to the actual engagement. Wataru let everybody rule over him; Keisuke had to make it so that he was the only one who did.

"You'll talk about it here," Shizuka insisted. Keisuke glared at her.

"It's not something you should be involved in," he told her coldly.

"If it impacts Wataru, it involves me," she said. Beside her, Wataru's attention had wandered.

"Excuse me, I'll be back in a bit," Wataru said. "Shizuka-chan, could you order for me? You know what I like."

Shizuka nodded. Keisuke watched him leave, but turned his attention back to Shizuka. "You are nothing but a golddigger."

"And you are an abuser who Wataru can't stand up to," she responded. "If he can't call the police, I will. I'm his friend; you just want him."

"I want him to be the best that he can," Keisuke said. His argument with Shizuka was interrupted by a large crash outside. He automatically stood up.

Kiva was fighting with a Fangire.

He rushed out, not bothering to leave an order with Shizuka. Kiva and the Fangire had rolled out of sight, but he'd find them. Defeat the Fangire. Get Kiva as well.

By the time he found the fight, Kiva had gone into his new form and was shattering the Fangire's remains. While he would have preferred to go after the Fangire as well, Kiva was just as good as a target. "Kiva! Return that life to God!" He pulled out the IXA knuckle and henshined.

Kiva just stood there, and then his form blazed for a second. Keisuke had the impression of chains fading out as the form shimmered out.

Wataru stood there, not moving.

* * *

Wataru knew that dropping out of the Kiva armor could be suicidal around Nago-san. The man had nothing but contempt for Kiva, had stated repeatedly that Kiva was evil, and now Nago-san knew that Wataru was Kiva. But on the other hand, he couldn't really live with Nago-san trying to run his life, and Nago-san would have found out eventually anyway. Better to do it now, when Wataru had a chance in battle, than Nago-san killing him during the night at home.

The Kiva armor wasn't meant for use against IXA, and Wataru had attempted to avoid combat with Nago-san out of respect for the other man. But enough was enough, and since he was there, he might as well make use of it.

Nago-san fired. Wataru rolled. "Kivat!"

This was going to end badly, he could tell. He grabbed Kivat, completed the henshin, and came up as Kiva.

He stood up straight, silently daring Nago-san to attack him.

"You've been hiding what you were all the time," Nago-san said. "You're nothing but a damned Fangire." His voice was cold. Wataru moved to defend himself.

Wataru shivered. How could Nago-san think he was Fangire? He hated Kiva, true, but as far as Wataru knew, Kiva defended humanity against the Fangire, he wasn't Fangire himself. "Nago-san," he said. "I'm not a-" Then he thought better of finishing the sentence. Besides, this was a battle, not a negotiation; he'd either die or Nago-san would.

"How long have you been Kiva?" Nago-san asked, still in that same cold tone.

"Nago-san, I'm not a threat to you," Wataru said. "Whoever made you think that Kiva was evil is wrong. I'm not a Fangire. I'm not evil. I want to save the world, just like you." He doubted Nago-san would listen, but he wanted to say it to the other man before one or the other was destroyed. "I told you I was Kiva, when Megumi-san had that stalker..."

Nago-san shot at him, and he had to duck once more. So much for talking. "Shut up!" Nago-san said, and there was an edge in his voice that made Wataru want to back away.

But Wataru stood his ground. He thought about what transformation would be best to stop Nago-san, make Nago-san see that... well, not much, really. Nago-san wouldn't have the problem, of course, because Nago-san was Nago-san and Wataru was Wataru.

"Wataru," Kivat warned from his perch on Wataru's belt.

"Nago-san is a noble man," Wataru said. It wasn't really true, but whatever would bring Nago-san back into sanity was what he'd try.

IXA shook, and then stood still. "I'll spare your life," Nago-san said finally, "if you bow down before me."

"I can't do that, Nago-san," Wataru said. He prepared himself to fight, fingering the fuestles. Nago-san might be too quick for Dogga, and Garulu, while a possibility, wasn't as good as Basshaa. Or he could go Emperor Form, Tatsulot was still nearby. He just hated to use any of them against Nago-san.

Nago-san lunged forward, as if to grab Wataru by the waist. But it was Kivat he aimed for, forcefully detaching the bat. Wataru felt his armor go away as Nago-san lifted Kivat, leaving him at Nago-san's mercy. Apparently, Nago-san had no problems playing dirty, preferring to kill the defenseless Wataru instead.

He landed on the ground, Nago-as-IXA on top of him. "Nago-kun, what do you think you're doing?" Megumi-san said, running in.

* * *

Keisuke landed heavily on top of Wataru. His judgement had been correct - removing the bat-thing from the belt had forced Wataru to dehenshin - but his perfect plan had been ruined slightly by overbalancing. It allowed him a good view of Wataru's face.

Once he'd landed on Wataru, the half-Fangire hadn't struggled, just passively lying there. It meant that despite Wataru's words, there was some obedience in there; Wataru wasn't hopeless. And, as Wataru pointed out, he had told Keisuke the truth. He just hadn't told him the truth very clearly.

Ignoring Megumi, he considered his options. Wataru knew about his Fangire heritage, obviously, but he had to admit that he'd also not turned against humanity - yet. If Shima-san was correct, then all Keisuke had to do was control Wataru and he could turn something impure into something pure. Wataru was partially in his control anyway. He'd take Wataru to Wataru's house and then he'd interrogate him to see how much he knew and what powers he had. Shima-san had said something about passion and Wataru's powers. He got up off of Wataru, shifting out of IXA. He still had the Knuckle at hand, and he aimed it at Wataru.

"The only reason you're still alive is because you can be redeemed," he growled.

"Nago-kun, what do you think you're doing?" Megumi-san asked.

"He knows about his Fangire heritage," Keisuke told her, not taking his eyes off Wataru.

"Nago-san," Wataru pleaded, "I don't have Fangire heritage... well, as far as I know."

The bat-thing squirmed free. "Actually, Wataru..."

"Kivat?" Wataru asked, his attention drawn to the bat-thing. "Is he telling the truth?"

The bat-thing paused. "...Yes," it said finally.

"Kivat," Wataru said "Why-"

"It doesn't matter," Keisuke said, cutting him off. What had seemed so awful was turning into a perfect opportunity. Wataru would have to be controlled now, and everybody could see that Wataru was - or would be - subservient to him. Wataru probably wanted to be controled, to have his horrible heritage not be a threat. And he would understand why he couldn't date. Keisuke would continue to be his 'boyfriend' to keep the pretense up and to keep Wataru's hormones in line. "There's a lot to talk about."

"Shizuka-chan is waiting back at the restaurant," Wataru said. Keisuke remembered belatedly that before all the excitement had happened, the three of them had been planning to eat at a restaurant.

Keisuke fished Wataru's phone out of his pockets. "Call her and tell her that the meal's ended."

Wataru obediently did so. "Hello, Shizuka-chan? Yes, I'm sorry, can we do this later? Something important has happened. No, he's not threatening me. No, I'm okay. It's just something we have to talk about in private. No, I'm okay. Yes, I'm okay. Yes, I'm sure I'm okay. No, he didn't threaten me. I'll talk to you later, Shizuka-chan."

Keisuke waited impatiently for Wataru to finish the call. "You can keep that, for the moment," he said, indicating Wataru's phone. Wataru was defeated; he could afford to show how great a man he was while he worked on his new set of rules. "We should go to the Cafe Mald'Amour." He didn't want Wataru to know where they usually reported to Shima-san. Shima-san could go to the cafe and they could talk.

He didn't bother to hear Megumi's reply, and Wataru's didn't matter. He swept off, and was pleased to note that Wataru was following obediently behind. He drove Wataru to the Cafe and then bustled him into it. The cafe owner looked questioningly at him, but he headed straight for Shima-san. Behind him, the cafe owner headed for the door. Megumi came in behind the cafe owner.

"Megumi filled me in on some of what's going on," Shima said, once Keisuke, Wataru, and Megumi were at the table.

"Good," Keisuke said roughly. Wataru was watching the three of them with a rather confused expression. "I can control Wataru and Kiva."

"Wataru-kun," Shima-san said, turning to the half-Fangire, "How long have you known about your heritage?"

"I didn't know until Nago-san told me," Wataru said softly."And Kivat confirmed it. Which of my parents was the Fangire?"

"Does it matter?" Keisuke said. "All that matters is that part of your heritage is evil. We have to cleanse that, use it for good."

"He has been, Nago-kun," Megumi said. "I've never known Wataru-kun to attack a non-Fangire."

There was justice in Wataru's heart then, undiminished by being born to a Fangire. Kurenai Otoya had been a protector, too, and had passed on his values to his son. As Keisuke had suspected, all wasn't lost.

"If Fangire harm humans," Wataru said, "Then they have to be stopped. My father's violin tells me when they come; I can call Nago-san as well."

"Your father's violin?" Megumi asked. "The one that you often play?"

Wataru nodded. "Mom said that he built it for me. One day it started sounding and I heard a voice telling me to fight, and I walked out and found the Fangire, and Kivat showed me how to form the armor. I didn't know about it until that day."

The whole sentence was breathed almost in a rush. Keisuke was further gratified that the evil of the Kiva armor hadn't taken over Wataru; he was still teachable.

"I know a little about the Kiva armor, though your parents swore to me that they wouldn't do anything to have it manifest in you," Shima-san said, looking at Wataru. "Just be careful; your powers are tied to your feelings."

"How did all this happen? Why is Wataru supposed to be so powerful?" Megumi asked. Keisuke folded his arms and was about to tell her it didn't matter when Shima-san spoke.

"This is a long story," Shima-san said, "But I suppose it has to be told."

* * *

"Over twenty years ago," Shima-san said, looking at the three of them in turn, "Kurenai Otoya met the Fangire Maya. They fell in love, and got married. And then Maya announced that she was pregnant."

Megumi listened avidly to what Shima-san was saying. She couldn't imagine having a Fangire among the ranks of the Wondrous Blue Sky Assocation; it must have been quite a shock to Shima-san.

"Maya was also one of the Checkmate Four," Shima said. "Even stripped of her powers when she married Otoya, she was from a bloodline of Checkmate Four members. Her ancestors, generations upon generations, were all powerful Fangire. Anybody from a bloodline such as that can inherit being one of the Checkmate Four. She didn't know if Wataru had enough power to be one of the Checkmate Four, but she did think that he would inherit some abilities from her bloodline anyway. Being able to hold Kiva seems to be one of them - one that Wataru's inherited."

"So, I could potentially be..." Wataru let his thought trail off.

"A member of the Checkmate Four," Shima-san said. Nago-kun moved his chair closer to Wataru-kun's. "Not likely, but you have the potential. Maya wanted to raise you as one; I thought it best that you grow up as a human, not a Fangire, so I made her promise not to tell you." Shima-san folded his hands. "I forgot to tell her not to raise you like a royal Fangire, and she broke off contact with us after... everything that happened."

"But I wasn't raised royal at all," Wataru insisted. "She didn't encourage me to make friends, true, but I..."

"Maya told me a lot about how she was raised," Shima-san said, "And you act in some ways very much like a royal Fangire."

Megumi looked at her friend. Wataru-kun seemed still stunned by things, for which she certainly forgave him. She doubted that Wataru-kun knew what he was before Nago-kun had announced it to the world. "Wouldn't he act more... royal?" she asked. "Wataru-kun's so shy, and so not dominant."

"My mother had a very forceful personality," Wataru-kun mumbled. "She also thought I was above the rest of the world, so I didn't get to be around people much."

"What if Wataru is a member of the Checkmate Four?" Nago-kun asked sharply.

"I don't want to be," Wataru-kun said softly. He looked pleadingly at her and Shima-san.

"I understand from Maya that royalty don't get much of a choice in the matter," Shima-san said.

"I'm not going to be a member of the Checkmate Four," Wataru-kun said. It was amazing, Megumi thought, on how resolute he could be sometimes. At that moment, it was as if he was daring the Fangire to come in and carry him off.

"What powers have you shown?" Nago-kun asked.

Wataru shook his head. "I don't think any," he said. "Well, there is the call of the Bloody Rose, and I did find Megumi-san once by listening for her music in my head..."

Shima-san shook his head. "You have an incredible heritage, Wataru," he said. "One we don't know much on how it'll affect you."

"All the more reason to make sure you stay firmly on the side of humanity," Nago-kun added grimly. "And make sure that you don't pass on your bloodline to a new generation."

"Oh, is that why you don't want me sleeping with any female Fangire, Nago-san?" Wataru-kun asked, as if realizing something.

"Female anything," Nago-kun told him, crossing his arms. "One generation is enough. This is why I gave you rules, Wataru. Rules that will keep humanity safe."

"But Nago-san," Wataru-kun said, "I need to be able to talk to Shizuka-chan. And Megumi-san."

"He has a point," Shima-san said. "Besides, Wataru's powers - well, at least the Kiva powers - are emotion-based. Make him resent you, Nago-kun, and you'll end up with the nightmare we had last time."

"I'll make sure that doesn't happen," Nago-kun said, hauling Wataru out of his chair. "We'll find some new rules that will work."

Megumi watched the two leave. "This is heading for disaster," she said to Shima-san.

"I have to agree," Shima-san said. "But the only way those two are going to learn that is if they experience it themselves."

"And in the meantime? What will it mean if Wataru becomes part of the Checkmate Four?" Megumi asked. "How dangerous is he?"

"Well, the good news is that a lot of the problems we had with Kiva were that Otoya did not have Fangire ancestry; Wataru not only has that ancestry, but royal ancestry to boot. So he shouldn't have the Kiva armor go out of control like Otoya did. But emotion still ties into that power, so you and Nago-kun are going to have to be very careful on how you treat Wataru. I don't want him rejecting his humanity and embracing his Fangire heritage when he's the best chance we have to end the Fangire threat."

"Do you think he can?" Megumi asked, looking over at Shima-san.

Shima-san gave her a small shrug. "As I said, he's the best we've got. We can only hope."

Megumi planned to do far more than cope.


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimers and notes in part 1. As a reminder, this is an AU.  
_

**Useless Things  
by Estirose  
part 4**

Keisuke hauled Wataru back to Wataru's house, his mind full of plans. It had become apparent to him that Wataru had been telling the truth about his lack of knowledge about his ancestry - the isolation by his mother had meant that he didn't know that most people didn't hang around flying, talking bats. Wataru's mother had been a strong individual, and she'd raised her son her own way. But at least thanks to Shima-san's promise, she'd at least been unable to raise Wataru out-and-out as a Fangire.

Which meant that Wataru had the upbringing to assume a role in the Checkmate Four, and for the moment, more ties to humanity than the Fangire. Keisuke had to change his plans to accommodate what would happen if Wataru became King, but also keep Kiva's wielder human. That would require keeping an eye on him, keeping him on the straight path. And if it meant making him a puppet ruler of the Fangire, Keisuke would do that.

Wataru could have his rebellious moments, but he was mostly a sheep. Keisuke had to wonder if that could have been Maya's form, and if Wataru could ever assume it. He hoped not, on both counts. He had seen a sheep Fangire before. It looked stupid, and had apparently been a really big pain.

He could deal with any other form Wataru had later. If he was to keep Wataru human, then he had to set out rules that were right. Wataru would follow his rules.

And then, maybe, he'd get his clothes back from that little golddigger.

"Rule one," he said. "Don't argue with me. That hasn't changed. Rule two. Don't date women. You know as well as I do why that's important. You can talk to them over the phone or in person. Rule three. Avoid Fangire unless you're fighting them. I'll figure out what to do if it turns out you're King. Rule four. The only person you sleep with is me." He couldn't imagine Wataru not having urges, and he'd have to handle them, for the sake of humanity.

"So, you're still going to pretend to be my boyfriend?" Wataru asked, not looking at him. "And sleep with me?"

"I have to, for the sake of humanity," Keisuke said. At least Wataru wasn't arguing with him. He could be shaped. Keisuke would take charge, IXA would be glorious. And with the two of them fighting side by side, they'd defeat the Fangire. "Especially if it turns out that you are their King, I'm sure you'll be called upon to continue the succession."

And if it turned out that Wataru was destined to be King, then of course Keisuke would take care of the Fangire another way.

"I'm relaxing some of the restrictions because apparently it's useful to have at least some women in my life, and I doubt Megumi's interested in you," Keisuke said. "How many people do you know?"

"Um." Wataru sat there, apparently thinking. "Well, you, and Megumi-san and Shima-san sort of, and the master of the cafe, and Mio-san and Shizuka-san and Kengo-san. I think that's it, currently."

Three of those he named were Wondrous Blue Sky members, one was sympathetic, one was that girl, one was someone he vaguely remembered Wataru was seeing, and one was a slightly over-enthusiastic rocker. Two people to worry about, then.

"I am a bit worried about Mio-san," Wataru said. "I haven't seen her for a few days - that was the waitress that spilled ice cream on us at the cafe, Nago-san. She's a lot like me. Megumi-san keeps urging us to date, Kengo-san likes her too. To date her, I mean."

Right. "I'll make sure she's all right," Keisuke said, "And that she's out of trouble. In the meantime, you'll stop dating her. I'll find someone for her." It sounded like the girl wouldn't be as much trouble as Shizuka-chan. She'd probably be grateful if someone found her a husband. Kengo was out of the question, as Kengo needed a strong person to keep him focused too. He would at least get a measure of who she was and if she was a threat.

"Thank you, Nago-san." Wataru looked relieved. He wasn't going to be hard to control at all, Keisuke reflected. Kiva or not, he was gentle. Pliable. Or at least he reserved his ferocity for where it should be, in battle.

Shima-san's warnings came back to him. Wataru's emotions were tied in to his powers. Keisuke could not be a tyrant, or even seem to be one. He would be Wataru's hero, Wataru's bedmate, the firm-but-not-unyielding man that Wataru needed. Wataru looked up to him, and Wataru would continue to look up to him.

Because he was Nago Keisuke, and he did things right.

* * *

Wataru, sitting on the little couch in his workroom, had to admit that things were much better. Nago-san was more reasonable, and things made so much more sense when he knew what was going on. He understood why Shima-san had made his mother make that promise, but he wished that she hadn't.

He was Fangire – half, at least, from a powerful bloodline. If he had been full Fangire, he might have been King by default – and at least had some chance to ascend, or try to decline. He wasn't sure he felt like he could be part of the Fangire, Shima-san's words about his upbringing notwithstanding. He wanted to be human.

Was that what his mother had wanted for him? What would she have raised him as if she hadn't been bound to Shima-san's promise? Shima-san said he acted royal Fangire. He had no clue what that meant.

He had a bad feeling that in order to figure out the way to be who he was, regardless of what human or Fangire wanted him to be, he was in for a tough time. For all he knew, his powers as a Fangire – or the Fangire King – would manifest the next day. Nago-san was still paranoid enough to consider him manifesting as Fangire as a threat, unless it was someone he or the Wondrous Blue Sky Association could control, and the Fangire weren't likely to take to someone they perceived to be corrupted by humans. He wondered what the King of the Checkmate Four was supposed to act like, and concluded that it probably wasn't like him despite what Shima-san had said.

Wataru wished Omura-san was there. Omura-san would have known what to do. Or his mother. He had probably been the heir in waiting, probably was still the heir in waiting. He lacked friendly Fangire to ask. And Nago-san wouldn't let him do it anyway. The threat of punishments was still in effect. And Wataru had no desire to get in trouble with the people that were currently his allies.

Besides, he liked Megumi-san. Nago-san was idealistic at best, but he didn't understand. He considered the things in Wataru's world useless, only tolerating them because he didn't have much of a choice. Wataru didn't need a guardian, but if he'd had to choose from one, he'd have chosen Megumi-san, who understood him, not Nago-san, who didn't.

But he guessed he understood Nago-san. Nago-san wanted things to be pure, for things to be the best, and he genuinely worked towards saving humanity from the Fangire. Wataru couldn't fault him for that, and Nago-san's strength might be exactly what Wataru needed to stay sane and human. Nago-san was definitely blind to some things, and Wataru knew that he'd grow to understand, but it would take time.

His door opened to admit Shizuka-chan. "Wataru, you've got to call the police!" she said as he blinked at her. "He's evil. I don't care that he saved my life, he's selfish and evil and he probably wants to kill you!"

Wataru remembered the threats that Nago-san had given, and remembered that he'd forgotten them. "Nago-san is pretty closed-minded," he said quietly.

"I remember reading something about some man in America that invited gay people over to his house and then killed them," Shizuka insisted. "He'll kill you in your own home."

"Only if he has reason to," Wataru said, but he had to admit that Shizuka-chan wasn't paranoid. She just didn't understand Nago-san very well. He might not understand Nago-san much better than she did, but he did know why Nago-san did what he did.

Nago-san was afraid of the Fangire, and wasn't sure about Wataru and his small amount of power. Wataru definitely felt he was not going to be King, so Nago-san didn't have to worry there.

"You're hopeless, Wataru," Shizuka said. "I'm not going to watch my best friend get killed!"

"Um, you probably won't," Wataru told her. "I don't think Nago-san is evil. Just, maybe, misguided?" Shizuka huffed. Wataru smiled at her. "I want to go to the park; I think I had some varnish ideas. Would you like to go with me, Shizuka-chan?" That would make her feel better for sure.

She smiled back. "I wouldn't let you go without me, Wataru. Who knows what other trouble you could get into!"

So, the two of them went out, Wataru remembering to lock his door. He and Shizuka went to the park. "I think some of the soil, this time," he said.

Wrinkling her nose, Shizuka said, "Soil?"

"Well, it does have metal and minerals in it. Maybe it's what my father used."

"It can't be any stranger than some of your other choices," Shizuka allowed. "Okay. Did you bring-"

Wataru produced a spade and a pair of baggies. "I wonder if you can boil soil?" he asked.

"I don't know," Shizuka admitted. "It's good to see you do something normal, though."

Wataru grinned at her and shoveled. As he worked, he looked up and saw a man in a Christian Priest's outfit sitting on the benches, watching them. Since the man didn't seem to be interested in calling the police, Wataru paid him no other attention, returning to the task at hand.

* * *

Bishop watched the young man who he'd been keeping an eye on. He'd kept tabs on Maya's younger son the boy's entire life, mostly because there was a chance that he might inherit the King's mantle. The fact that he could handle Kiva's chained form was of little interest to Bishop; the whole point of the chained form was that somebody besides the King could handle it.

When Wataru started assuming the whole, complete form, things changed. Taiga showed no powers other than what might be expected of any Fangire; Wataru could handle Kiva's unchained form. With royal bloods, one could never tell what sibling might inherit the power, and in this case, it looked like Wataru was the one that had gotten it. In some cases, the power might go to a distant descendant, like with the current Queen.

Bishop had quietly searched the records. He knew that half-breeds occasionally happened; they seemed to lean one way or another at puberty, and those that went the Fangire way tended to be powerful from their hybrid ancestry, some of the toughest Fangire out there. But more of them leaned disappointingly human, which was why the rule was established millennia ago, and why the Queen's role was to wipe out that possibility.

But sometimes those children were born, and watched to see which way they'd go. If they went Fangire, they were helped through the sickness that accompanied the change to full Fangire; if they didn't, they were left in sad human ignorance. Wataru had been left in that ignorance when he didn't change. Obviously the next time such a half-breed happened in a royal bloodline, they had to be watched past apparent human puberty just like their full part-siblings.

To buy Wataru time to complete his change, Bishop had sent out a challenge; defeat Rook, have the chance to be King. He knew that there would be contenders lining up, all boasting of their connection to a royal bloodline, or at least the ability to start one.

"Wataru? Wataru?" The young human's call brought him out of his contemplation. Wataru was looking distinctly dizzy, but waved the girl off.

"I'm okay, Shizuka-chan. Just... it was hot, all of a sudden." The King-to-be smiled at his companion. Bishop blinked. Was Wataru finally showing signs of the change? Perhaps maybe Kiva's unchained form was the trigger to the change that should have happened in puberty.

"No, you don't look well," the girl insisted. "I'll take you to the hospital, Wataru. Maybe he's done something to you."

Bishop had no clue who the 'he' was, but it was time to take action. "May I help?" he inquired, striding over. He knew of a doctor, a Fangire, who could confirm his observations. If he told her that it was a late puberty, she'd believe him.

"I'm okay, Shizuka-chan," Wataru said, with a little more force. "Just... let's go home."

"I think the young woman is right," Bishop said. "You don't look well." Gaining the King's trust would prove helpful when Wataru's full powers manifested. Half-human or not, Wataru was - would be - a member of the Checkmate Four. Bishop wanted things to work more smoothly with Wataru than they had with Mio. "You should go see a doctor. I know one nearby, at the clinic. I'm sure she'd be happy to take a look at you."

"I'm fine," Wataru said obstinately, not looking at Bishop or the human beside him. He got up and had to immediately sit down again. "In a few minutes."

"The clinic is only a block or two away," Bishop told the human. "I suggest we take him there."

The human, showing a grasp of logic, nodded. "Okay. Wataru? We're going to the clinic."

"Not moving," Wataru muttered.

Bishop sighed and pulled out his cell phone and dialed. "Takamoto-san?"

"Yes?" the woman answered the phone abruptly, then softened her tone. "Oh, my lord Bishop..."

"I have a young man who's not feeling very well; he's very stubborn. I'd like someone with your specialized medical experience to come look at him. We're at the park down a few blocks from you, off the garden path..."

"Understood," she said. "I'll be there as soon as possible. With the... special tests." Message received and understood.

"Thank you," he said, then hung up. He knelt next to Wataru. "I have a friend coming. She's a doctor. She'll look at you."

Bishop hoped that Wataru wouldn't prove to be stubborn with him. He disliked having to use force. He stayed by Wataru's side until Dr. Takamoto arrived. He drew her aside. "This is a half-breed; I have a suspicion that his Fangire blood is showing. I want to know if it's that or if he's just crippled by some temporary human ailment."

Dr. Takamoto nodded. "What's his name?"

"Kurenai Wataru," Bishop said. "Call him Wataru for the moment. I don't want to reveal our hand."

"Understood," she said, and walked towards the pair. "Hello, I understand your name is Wataru. My name is Dr. Takamoto. I also understand you're not feeling too well?"

"He got dizzy," the girl said.

"Just for a moment," Wataru muttered. Dr. Takamoto just smiled at him.

"I want to see if this is simple overheating, or if there's another problem," Takamoto said. "I want to make sure you don't get heat exhaustion. Okay?"

Bishop watched as the doctor performed tests. She even took a bit of blood. "It sounds like you need to get into the shade, Wataru, you're too hot. How about you go home and rest?"

"We can do that," the girl said, pulling Wataru up.

"Keep him in cool temperatures, make him rest. If he continues to run a fever, please call me," Dr. Takamoto said, handing the girl a card. "There might be other things going on that are not obvious."

The girl nodded. "Come on, Wataru," she said, helping Wataru up.

Dr. Takamoto stopped next to Bishop. "If you're guessing late puberty, then you're right," she said. "I would suggest eliminating the girl and then bringing him to me. I can educate him about his Fangire blood."

"I plan to explain that myself," Bishop said, reminding the woman that he outranked her. "I'm aware of what needs to be done; I just needed confirmation."

"Understood," she said, obviously disappointed. Bishop had to wonder what she suspected about Wataru. He watched her as she left.

He caught Wataru as the new King almost fainted again. "Here, I'll help you take him back," he said.

The girl smiled, and Bishop smiled back. He looked forward to eliminating her.

* * *

Shizuka was grateful for the man's help. Wataru was definitely not feeling well and the doctor might not have thought it had to do with that man, but Shizuka thought so. Maybe she'd call the doctor and have the woman look at Wataru again. Or maybe the woman would seek Wataru out if he'd been poisoned or something like that.

The gate for Wataru's house came into sight, much to Shizuka's relief. Megumi-san was ringing the doorbell, but stopped as the two of them came into her view. She rushed forward to take one of Wataru's arms for Shizuka, while Shizuka unlocked his gate and his door. The man and Megumi-san got Wataru up the stairs and then down the stairs to his bedroom/living room. Wataru was maneuvered, still protesting, into bed, and then Megumi-san sat down. "Please, sit down too," Shizuka said to the man who had helped her get Wataru back to his house. "Would you like some water? Tea?"

"Tea would be good," he said, smiling at her. She was struck by the fact he looked so much like a christian priest; was he one?

"Megumi-san?" The girl turned next to Megumi-san. "What would you like?"

"Tea is fine, also," The woman assured her.

Shizuka bounced into Wataru's kitchen and put on his kettle, selecting the most conservative tea from his varieties. She made the tea fairly swiftly, selecting two of Wataru's mugs and bringing his visitors some tea. She then headed back into the kitchen and made some iced tea from a mix for Wataru.

Soon, Wataru was glaring at her and sipping at his iced tea while Megumi-san and the stranger enjoyed theirs.

"I'm glad to help," the man said. He looked at Shizuka. "I don't know how adept your friend is at going to doctors, or even if he has one, but she is very good."

Shizuka nodded. Getting Wataru to go to the doctor had always been difficult. Maybe he could be persuaded to go to this one.

"Are you both this young man's friend?" the man asked, raising his eyebrows. "And is there anything else I can help with?"

"I've known Wataru since he was fifteen," Shizuka boasted. She was not his first friend - that had been somebody named Taiga, apparently - but she was the friend who had stuck by him. Megumi-san was nice, but Shizuka had been there for the long term. "Megumi-san, haven't you known him only a few months?"

Megumi-san nodded. "He's come a long way since I met him."

Shizuka thought about this, and smiled. "He has," she agreed. Wataru had developed as a person, which meant that he was starting to be a regular person. Okay, a regular person who had to be a weirdness magnet. Or a person magnet. She wasn't the only one finding him attractive anymore.

He had to be a weirdness magnet if a guy wanted him. Nago Keisuke had saved her once, yes. But he was not Wataru's boyfriend, Wataru liked girls if his time with Mio-san was any indication. And if she had to, she'd step back for Mio-san if it meant that he'd be dating a girl.

"And thank you for helping out," Shizuka said to the stranger. She smiled at him, hoping he wasn't falling for Wataru too. Guys seemed suspect at the moment.

The man smiled back. "Maybe I'll run across the two of you sometime," he said. "This place looks fascinating." He got up. "I'm afraid that I have some souls to save."

Shizuka blinked. "You're a Christian priest?"

"Not... precisely," the man said. "But people expect me to look this way, so I do." He got up and smiled again. "If one of you would show me the way out..."

Shizuka got up as well. "Here, it's right this way," she said. She escorted the man out the gates and and watched him saunter off. She then returned to Wataru's house.

Kivat was waiting for her at the top of the stairs. "Shizuka," he said in a low voice. "I've seen that man before. I don't think you should let him or that doctor near him again."

Shizuka frowned. Kivat was a good companion to Wataru, and he usually had a head on his shoulders. She had no clue where Kivat came from, but Wataru trusted him.

Kivat followed her down the stairs, which was unusual for him. He usually didn't make himself known around strangers, and she was lucky to have figured out he wasn't a sculpture.

"Thank you for the tea, Shizuka-chan," Megumi-san said. Kivat flapped down to hover around Wataru. "Are you all right?"

"The man that brought Wataru in," Kivat said, "I don't trust him."

Megumi-san understandably stared. She'd probably never seen Kivat before.

"Um, this is Kivat," Wataru said, indicating the flying bat-creature. "He's a friend."

"And you are the Modigliani woman!" Kivat exclaimed.

"Kivat!" Wataru got half up before Shizuka glared him back into lying down.

"Why don't you trust him?" Megumi-san said, addressing Kivat as if she'd known him for a while.

"I've just seen him before," Kivat said, "When I was very young and... well, when I was very young. When Wataru was a baby. He knew Wataru's mother when Wataru was a baby."

Megumi-san nodded, and Shizuka had to wonder what the other woman was thinking.

And then the door above slammed open, and heavy footsteps revealed Shizuka's worst nightmare.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Note:** This consolidates parts 17-20 of the original version._

**Useless Things  
by Estirose  
part 5**

"You!"

Keisuke would have winced if he were a lesser man. However, the girl wasn't of great concern to him. "I'm surprised people halfway across Tokyo didn't hear that," he said calmly.

"Nago-san," Wataru said from down below. Keisuke noted Megumi's presence as well.

"What are you doing here?" the girl demanded.

Keisuke smiled. "I'm here to see my boyfriend, of course."

"He's not your boyfriend!" The girl exclaimed, blocking the staircase.

"Of course he's my boyfriend," Keisuke said, still smiling, and leaned on the railing. "Right, Wataru?"

"Yes," Wataru said, though a touch more hesitant than Keisuke would have liked. He'd have to work on that with Wataru if he was to get the girl out of the way.

"Shizuka-chan," Megumi said, "Let me talk to him." What she wanted to say, Keisuke had no idea, but he hoped it wasn't some kind of stupid plea. She knew the danger of Wataru having kids as much as he did. "I'll reason with him."

"But he may have gotten Wataru sick!"

That was an interesting accusation. "Then I'll deal with him," Megumi said. "Because our boss would be _very_ unhappy and he'd be out of a job."

"Shizuka-chan," Wataru said, "It might also help if you returned his clothes?"

Shizuka harumphed. "All right."

"And Shizuka-chan? Do you remember where I put the phone number for Dr. Takada?" Wataru asked. "From what... well from what was just said, I might want to see him."

"It's in your address book, which is in your workshop," Shizuka said. "You need to put him in your phone."

"Well, I don't call him that often!" Wataru exclaimed.

"Take good care of him, Megumi-san," Shizuka-chan said. "I trust you."

Megumi smiled. "I'll make sure Wataru doesn't come to any harm while he's here," she promised. "Can you get me that address book for Wataru?"

"Certainly!" Shizuka skipped up the stairs and looked among Wataru's things. She tossed a small book down. "Megumi-san, catch!"

After glaring at Keisuke, she left. He could hear the doors slam, and locked the door to Wataru's workshop. He then proceeded downstairs.

"What happened?" Keisuke demanded, sitting on Wataru's bed, pointedly ignoring the chair that Shizuka had vacated.

"I got sick," Wataru said from behind him. "While I was gathering varnish ingredients with Shizuka-chan. This man showed up, and he helped Shizuka-chan take me home, and he also got a doctor that said I'd overheated. And Kivat says that he's seen the man before."

"Kivat?" And then he remembered the bat-thing that was Wataru's henshin device. "And wrong how?" He looked around for the bat-thing.

"He implied that the man was a Fangire," Megumi said. "Which means that the doctor that saw Wataru might be Fangire too."

"Her clinic's not far from the park," Wataru said.

Keisuke, had he not been a model of perfection, probably would have cursed out loud. "Do we know the doctor's name?"

Megumi shook her head. "I don't remember," Wataru admitted. "I'd know her if I saw her."

"If you see the woman again," Keisuke said, "_call me_. Same for this man." Wataru had royal Fangire blood, which meant that either of them could be a royal court lackey, come to evaluate and take away their potential king. "Do you remember what he looked like?"

"Like a Christian priest, but he said he wasn't," Wataru said. "Did you remember him giving Shizuka-chan a name, Megumi-san?"

Megumi shook her head. "No, I didn't." She was paging through the address book. "I'm amazed you have a doctor, Wataru-kun."

"I have one... he's the one I've had ever since I can remember. Mother said I was really special and so I had to go to a special doctor."

"Fangire," Keisuke growled. He'd have to get something out of Wataru's doctor. If needed be, he'd kill Wataru's doctor.

"Maybe," Wataru said. "Dr. Takada's been old for a very long time."

"I'll call him," Megumi said, dialing a number on her phone. "Hello, Dr. Takada? Yes, my name is Aso Megumi, and I'm a friend of Kurenai Wataru-kun. He's sick, can you see him?" She paused. "I'm not sure what it is; I wasn't there. He's overheated, though." She paused once again. "Thank you, Dr. Takada. We'll be here." She hung up the phone. "He's coming over."

Keisuke gave a brief, curt nod, and remembered that he'd locked the upstairs door. He got up to unlock it, hoping Shizuka would not come back.

The doctor arrived about twenty minutes later, much to Keisuke's annoyance. He was old, though, and moved a bit stiffly. Keisuke put on his politest smile and escorted the doctor through Wataru's home.

"Hello, Wataru-kun," Dr. Takada said with a smile as he settled down on a chair that Megumi had moved over to Wataru's bedside. "I understand you're not feeling well."

"I was at the park today, and I... guess I overheated," Wataru said. "And I felt dizzy."

"Have you run a temperature at all this week?" Dr. Takada asked as he started to poke Wataru as only a doctor could.

"Once or twice, I guess, while I was working on stuff," Wataru admitted.

"And have you felt like you've had ants running across your skin, or momentary, sharp pains?" Dr. Takada asked.

Wataru nodded. "The first time, I thought I was going to pass out."

"Hm," Dr. Takada said, sitting back on his chair. "I don't think it's anything life-threatening, but you will want to cut down on anything really taxing for the next month or three."

"Dr. Takada," Wataru said suddenly, "are you a Fangire?"

The doctor had a sudden coughing fit. "How long have you known?"

"I found out about my mother recently," Wataru said, "And my ancestry. And my mother said you were a very special doctor, so I thought that you either were one or knew about the Fangire. Nago-san and Megumi-san know about Fangire, too."

Keisuke suddenly wanted to hide his face in his hands. Why did Wataru have to be so honest about certain things?

"Ah, you must be part of that Blue whatever organization," Dr. Takada said, turning to look at the both of them. "Well, I suppose I better explain things in a little more detail, then." He looked at Megumi. "Perhaps the young woman would like to fetch me some water?"

"The kitchen's at the door behind you, Megumi-san," Wataru said. Megumi got up and, after a minute or two, returned with some water for the doctor. Keisuke himself wasn't keen on having a Fangire anywhere near Wataru, but at least this one seemed to be allied to Maya and Wataru.

"Thank you, my dear," the doctor said. "Ha-crossbreeds like yourself, Wataru, sometimes go through a second, simultaneous puberty that basically rewrites portions of their DNA, awakens other parts, until they become Fangire. Yours has been, for some reason, delayed. But you are going through that second puberty now." Dr. Takada took a sip of the water. "I won't lie here; you are going to have a difficult next three months or so while your body changes."

Wataru visibly gulped. Keisuke leaned forward. "Is there any way to stop this?" he asked. Wataru deserved a chance to be human, to be noble, to resist being Fangire.

"No," Dr. Takada said. "Wataru is going to be Fangire. I wouldn't stop it for the world." The old man's voice had become firm. "Why would I leave him as a human when his heritage says otherwise? I will help him through this, but I will not stop it."

There was determination in the Fangire's eyes. Keisuke hoped that there would be a way to stop the whole thing, but in the meantime, Maya had apparently trusted this doctor, and so at least he could render medical treatment for Wataru.

"So, what are we looking for," Megumi said, "And what needs to be done?"

Dr. Takada smiled at her in the way only gentle old men could. "Wataru needs to rest as much as possible. Light walks, light exercise, no heavy exertion unless I give permission. Definitely no wearing the King's Armor in this state."

"Violin making?" Wataru asked.

"Only until you get tired," Dr. Takada said. He looked at Megumi and Keisuke. "I'm entrusting him to you two."

"I'll move in and make sure Wataru doesn't exert himself," Keisuke volunteered. It would be the perfect excuse to keep Wataru subservient even as he changed. If Keisuke didn't find a way to stop that change.

"That's a good idea," Dr. Takada said. "Wataru was always good at disobeying medical orders. I'll feel better if Wataru has someone to watch him. He needs as much bed rest as possible. The more bed rest he gets, the better."

Keisuke nodded. "Doctor, out of curiosity, would you consider sex to be exertion?"

"Of course," Dr. Takada said, with some confusion. "But I didn't know that Wataru was sexually active...."

"Uh, Nago-san...." Wataru clammed up as Keisuke glared at him.

The doctor was suddenly studying him. "Wataru, as a Fangire, can do much better." His voice dripped with disapproval. "He's of royal heritage. He'll find a Fangire female someday and continue his own kind." He looked at Wataru. "Bed rest. Light exertion. No fighting, and no sex."

"Um, Nago-san and I aren't doing that," Wataru squeaked.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Wataru. I though he implied you two were sleeping together," Dr. Takada's voice became more conciliatory. "But you definitely are not fighting anything right now. And if I hear that the King's Armor has been seen after I told you to stay in bed... well, even if you are royal blooded, you are going to regret it. If your own body doesn't make you regret it first."

"And if somehow he sneaks by us and goes into the armor, what'll happen?" Megumi asked.

"Well, he _might_ get through the fight okay," the doctor said, looking at her. "Then again, he might not, and that could prove fatal anyway. And if neither of those happen, he'll certainly be collapsing from the strain. In some ways, going to the pure form of the King's Armor will accelerate the change, but he'll pay for it in spades."

Wataru was not taking that well, Keisuke could tell. "We'll take good care of him," he promised with his most winning smile.

"See that you do," Dr. Takada said. He got up. "That you for the water, miss."

"No problem," Megumi-san said. "Let me help you back out, Dr. Takada."

The doctor smiled as Megumi escorted him back out.

"We're going to stop this if we can," Keisuke promised the half-Fangire. "You can't go into that new form that you have." If anything was the "pure form", Wataru's shiny new form had to be it. "So you'll have to stay home, rest, and not fight. Just as the doctor said."

"But Nago-san," Wataru whined, but Keisuke ignored the whinyness. Partly, anyway. He knew why Wataru wanted to fight, and it was commendable, but he couldn't be permitted to fight if it drove him closer to being Fangire.

Sex, on the other hand, would keep him especially tired out and might delay his change. "I admire your desire to fight for justice," Keisuke said, "But unless you want to turn into a monster, you're going to have to stay out of your armor."

Wataru nodded. "And Shizuka-chan's not going to be too happy, either. Of course, she doesn't know why I'll be sick."

"I'll take care of Shizuka-chan, and your friend - Mio, was it? I'll make sure your friends are taken care of. In the meantime, you are going to rest." There would be time to slow down the transformation later. "Understood?"

"Understood, Nago-san," Wataru mumbled. Keisuke nodded, and stepped over to Wataru's bed to tuck him in. The small, silly gesture made Wataru smile as he closed his eyes.

* * *

Wataru woke up to find Nago-san sleeping on his bed. Well, perhaps "finding" wasn't the right world; Nago-san had crowded into bed with him the previous night, after growling that Wataru should remember not to argue with him.

He crawled over Nago-san's sleeping form to make breakfast. He figured cooking was okay; his doctor would have put him in some kind of facility if he couldn't. As he was setting the table, Nago-san yawned and stretched.

"Good morning, Nago-san," Wataru said, smiling. Nago-san just looked at him for a moment, and then moved to the table, as if realizing that breakfast was served. Wataru watched proudly as Nago-san ate his

cooking.

"I'm going out after I get dressed," Nago-san said. "Do whatever you have to do, within doctor's restrictions."

"What if a Fangire attacks, Nago-san?" Wataru asked. "There's no way I won't know. The Bloody Rose will tell me to fight...."

"You are going to follow doctor's orders until we find a way to stop you transforming into a Fangire," Nago-san said, grabbing Wataru by his shirt. "I don't want that doctor interfering, and he's made it clear that he will if you fight. Besides, that new form of yours will change you into a Fangire faster. Do you want to risk that?"

"N-no, Nago-san," Wataru stammered. Nago-san was right, he didn't want to be Fangire and so he'd have to ignore its call. Hard, but not impossible.

"Good," Nago-san said. He released Wataru's shirt. "And if you do run across the two that you encountered yesterday - what do you do?"

"Get away from them and call you, Nago-san," Wataru said obediently.

"Correct," Nago-san said, getting up. He selected some clothes from the suitcase and started dressing while Wataru cleaned up the dishes. He was gone by the time Wataru finished cleaning up his meal. Wataru started on his own.

Wataru worked in his workshop, trying to replicate the violin parts that he didn't remember making. His doorbell rang, so he went down to answer it. For once, the person at the gate wasn't a salesperson, though she did look familiar. He placed her as soon as she spoke. "Hello, Wataru," She said. "I was on my way to the clinic, and since my friend mentioned where you lived, I thought I should come see you."

"Oh. Hi," Wataru said uncertainly, trapped between Nago-san's instructions and ingrained politeness. "I'm feeling better, thank you." It wasn't a lie; he did feel better. At the moment, at least.

"That's actually why I wanted to see you," the woman said. "You have a very rare illness that's only starting to manifest itself. I'd like to come inside and explain. Your health is at stake."

His doctor had said how rare it was for part-Fangire to change to full Fangire. This woman was probably going to say the same things, without mentioning the Fangire part. "But my doctor said I was fine," Wataru said, attempting to feign confusion.

"You aren't fine," the doctor said insistently. "I've seen this before. You're going to be very sick, Wataru, and I'd like to bring you in for care."

Wataru smiled politely. "Thank you, but I'm fine. Your tests might be wrong, possibly?"

She frowned, but he bowed slightly at her and shut his gate. "Thank you for your concern, though."

He hurried back to his house while trying to make it seem like he wasn't doing just that. once inside, he grabbed his cellphone and selected Nago-san's number. "Nago-san?" he asked breathlessly.

"Yes?" Nago-san sounded irritated. Wataru peeked out the window. The doctor was still out there.

"You said to call if one of those two showed up. Well, one of them's at my gate- she's more evasive, but she's saying the same things my doctor did."

"I'll be right there," Nago-san promised grimly. "You - where are you?"

"In my workshop, keeping an eye on her," Wataru said.

"Good," Nago-san responded. "Stay there. Don't move."

Wataru nodded. "I won't," he promised.

He watched the doctor, who seemed to be deciding something. She then opened his gate and proceeded to his very unlocked front door. He locked his upstairs door in time. "Wataru," the doctor said through the door, "You have no clue how sick you're going to get. Let me in so I can explain it to you."

"Um. Sorry," Wataru called. "But I'm fine. Really!"

"Stubborn halfbreed," he heard through the doorway, confirming her identity as a Fangire and just as much confirming that he didn't want her as his doctor.

As he edged back, he saw Nago-san pull up to his gate. Just in case the doctor decided to use more than words, he glanced at Kivat. "Kivat," he said, very quietly, and Kivat awoke. If the need was dire, then people should forgive him.

"Who are you?" he heard Nago-san ask the woman.

"I'm his doctor. Who are you?" the woman challenged.

"I'm his boyfriend," Nago-san said. "And I know his doctor is a man. So, who are you?"

"The doctor he _needs_," the woman answered. Things were silent for a moment, and then he heard Nago-san activate the IXA knuckle.

"Kivat," he said, tensing and reaching out for his companion. He momentarily wondered who would kill him first - the Fangire, Nago-san, or his own doctor.

* * *

The Fangire had suddenly shifted out of its human guise, attempting to drain him. Keisuke ducked, and cursed Wataru for leaving his front door unlocked. There wasn't any room to maneuver right there unless he wanted to destroy the walls of Wataru's house, which would be all Wataru's fault. At least the upstairs door seemed to be locked. He transformed into IXA, rushing into the monster.

The door behind the monster broke open, spilling them both into Wataru's violin workshop. Wataru himself was standing there, belt on, Kivat in hand, as if ready to transform against Keisuke's - and the doctor's - orders. "Stop that and run," Keisuke growled.

"But-" Wataru seemed to hesitate.

"Rule 1!"

The Fangire shot at Wataru, hitting him in a leg. "You need bed rest anyway," she said as Wataru collapsed, holding his leg. "Don't worry, you'll heal. Faster than you think."

Keisuke grabbed her and swung her around, but she only laughed. "I don't believe in a fair fight," she said, as she swung him into some metal shelving. He released her, and she was soon out the newly-broken door.

As Keisuke stumbled to the window, he could see the Fangire in human form running out the courtyard to Wataru's front gate. He then ran downstairs to lock Wataru's front door, and then came back up. "Your leg?"

"Hurts," Wataru gasped.

Keisuke frowned, and looked at Wataru's leg. There was a nasty burn mark on one leg where the shot had pierced the fabric. "Here, let me get you to bed."

Wataru, much to his satisfaction, didn't argue. Keisuke assisted him down and onto the bed. "And what did I say about transforming?" Keisuke asked.

"Don't," Wataru answered, grimacing in pain. He was in pain; that was enough warning and punishment for disobeying orders.

Keisuke looked up at the door. "It's not safe for you here, that Fangire could come back, and she knows where you live." The fact that she disabled Wataru was a good indication that she meant to come back for him.

"But where do I live then?" Wataru asked, inspecting his leg.

"My house," Keisuke said. It had the benefit of being fairly private and he'd be away from that girl who seemed to think she owned Wataru. "In the meantime, did she mention the name to you at all?"

"No, but...." Wataru fumbled around. "Nago-san, my cellphone's up in my workshop. Shizuka would know, if I called her."

Keisuke frowned, but had to concede silently that she was more likely to talk to Wataru than himself. He hurried up the stairs, grabbed the phone, and took it down to Wataru. Wataru punched a sequence of buttons on the phone. "Shizuka-chan, I don't suppose you remember where that clinic is, and the doctor's name? Thanks." He looked up at Keisuke. "Okay. I'll hold on while you look."

A minute later, Wataru was grabbing a pencil and paper from near his bed. "Yes, go ahead." He wrote a series of numbers down. "Thank you, Shizuka-chan. No, I'm not going there right now, I just want to know, just in case. No, Nago-san is not abusing me. I'm sure. Yes, I will go and see a doctor if there's a problem, I promise you, Dr. Takada or this new doctor, Dr. Takamoto. I promise." He nattered on for a few more minutes while Keisuke grabbed the paper and read the location and name. After Wataru finally hung up, Keisuke said, "Pack your bags, pack your violin, we're going." He didn't want to hear Wataru play violin, but he didn't have much of a choice. The thing would keep Wataru distracted. Once Keisuke finished off the Fangire, it would be safe for him to come home.

Besides, he liked his beds a lot bigger than Wataru's small one. His would accomodate both of them comfortably. Once Wataru's leg healed - and at least Wataru's Fangire blood probably meant it would heal fast - he'd distract the violinist other ways.

"My door," Wataru said, and Keisuke remembered that the Fangire had busted Wataru's upstairs door.

"You'll have time to fix it after I take care of that insane Fangire," Keisuke said. "Do you remember when that Fangire kidnapped Megumi?"

"Of course I do," Wataru said. "It's when you asked me if I'd seen Kiva."

"Yes, yes," Keisuke said. "In any case, I don't want to wake up to find out that you're missing. Or come home to find you're missing. So, you'll stay at my place."

Wataru limped around, gathering his things, until Keisuke impatiently started fetching for him. He hunted up a violin case for Wataru's violin under Wataru's direction as well, swatting off Wataru's curious henshin devices.

Then he realized that he didn't have room on his motorcycle. He frowned. "I'm bringing a car. Stay there and don't answer the door. Understand?"

Wataru nodded. "Kivat and Tatsulot can tell me who it is," he said with confidence. "I can call you if she shows up again."

It sounded like a sensible plan, so Keisuke got the keys from Wataru, got on his bike, went home, and traded it for his car. He drove the car back to Wataru's place, and was relieved to find the gate and door still locked, and Wataru still on his bed.

"We're going," Keisuke said, pulling Wataru up.

* * *

Bishop watched as Taiga walked towards him. In some ways his adoptive son ever since Maya had gone rogue, Taiga was his eyes and ears, his most reliable operative. The boy should have been King, Bishop would have preferred that to breaking in Wataru, but inheritances were funny things, and Wataru had gotten the position. They had to made do with what they had.

Taiga sat down across from him. "That doctor is going to be an annoyance. Dr. Takamoto, I mean. She attempted to break into Wataru's house this morning, and something drove her out in a hurry. I dropped by her clinic and had a talk with her."

"Does she suspect?" Bishop asked. The woman had to suspect. She could become a liability extremely quickly.

"I think she does," Taiga said. He rested his chin on his folded hands. "Given your seeming interest in him. But the more important thing is that she attempted to grab him - and would have succeeded, except he apparently has a boyfriend - who has the armor that humans created to fight us. The best she could do, she said, was to wound Wataru, and she claims she did _that_ because it would keep him down and resting while his body changed. She asks for your consideration in making her the royal doctor and said that his apparently isn't Fangire."

Bishop absently noted the outrage in Taiga's tone. Taiga considered himself Wataru's protector - and he was an excellent choice for Wataru's bodyguard, thanks to the armor that Bishop had developed for him. "I know he has a doctor - you both share the same doctor."

"Who is a Fangire," Taiga said. "As it should be." Bishop had to agree; leaving even a halfbreed like Wataru in the care of a human doctor was unconscionable. "I don't see Dr. Takada not telling him that he's going through the change, even if he doesn't tell him why."

Bishop nodded. "And where is Wataru, and how are we progressing in wiring his house?" Bishop knew it was going to be needed to control the young king.

"The human that chased her off took off with him," Taiga said. "We can start wiring up his house while he's gone, but...."

"Do it," Bishop said. "In the meantime, keep an eye on him. Find out who this human is. Eliminate the human."

Taiga nodded. "And telling Wataru about his nature and his bloodline?"

"I will be stopping by, as a concerned and appropriately apologetic person," Bishop said. "In due time. I also want you to 'accidentally' meet up with him." He spotted Wataru's young, ignorant human friend. She would make a good meal someday, but in the meantime, she should make a good source of information. "Befriend him. Bring me in as somebody you trust. I'm sure that he would be grateful for help in his time of need."

Taiga nodded as the young human approached their table. "Hi," she said.

Bishop smiled. "Hello there, young woman. How is your friend? Please, sit down."

She smiled back and sat. "Well, he was tired, but he called me last night and said he was feeling better. I'm a little worried, though." She looked at Taiga hesitantly, as if unsure whether to air her grievances with him present.

"May I present Nobori Taiga, a member of my flock," Bishop said. "I'm afraid I don't remember your name, miss-"

"Nomura Shizuka," she said, looking at him and then Taiga. "My friend - Wataru - had a friend named Taiga."

Taiga smiled at her. "If his surname is Kurenai, then we might know the same person."

Her eyes widened. "It sounds like we do!" She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry to trouble you both."

"It's all right," Bishop said. "Tell me and Taiga what's worrying you. I like your young man, Wataru, and it sounds like Taiga's old friend could use some help."

"Well...." the young woman said hesitantly, "A few days ago, this guy - who Wataru's been hanging about with - turned up and said he was Wataru's boyfriend. He has this list of rules that Wataru has to obey, or else. He's a bounty hunter, and he's absolutely scary."

"What's the man's name?" Taiga prompted. "I saved Wataru from bullies before; I can do it again."

"I don't really know his first name," she said. "Wataru always calls him Nago-san." Bishop filed the information away, as he knew Taiga was doing. It was easier to find and eliminate the man that way.

"You've told your Wataru that he's being abused?" Bishop asked.

She nodded rapidly. "Yes, but he seems to be always on the man's side. I'm scared for him. I mean, Wataru's too young for anyone, but at least Mio-san is a girl and she's a lot like Wataru."

"I'll go and see Wataru," Taiga volunteered. "See if I can get this bully to stay away from him. In the meantime, I think you should get him to see this Mio-san - does he like her?"

"Very much," she admitted. "Here, I have a picture." She dug out her phone and pressed buttons. "See?"

The picture, Bishop was surprised to see, was of the current Queen. He smiled at the coincidence, that the Queen had found her King without prompting. "She looks like a very nice girl," he said. "I think Taiga's advice is good on this matter."

The girl nodded reluctantly, and Bishop had to wonder if she carried a torch for Wataru herself.

"It'll be great to catch up with Wataru," Taiga said. "I recently moved back to the area, and I... he hasn't moved, has he? Still in that white house with the stairway entrance?"

She nodded. "Yes, it's the same house."

"I'll definitely watch out for him," Taiga said. He smiled at her. "Thank you for watching over him while I was gone - Wataru's such a pushover, I worried about him too."

"You're welcome," she said. "Let's talk some other time. I apologize for leaving, but...."

"We understand," Taiga said. "See you sometime!"

She skipped off. Once she was out of earshot, Taiga asked, "Okay, when can we eliminate her?"

"As soon as she's of no use to us," Bishop replied, watching the human girl. "Our main problem is this Nago."

Taiga nodded. "Something's going on, more than this girl suspects," he said. "I think humans that know are trying to align against us, or at least use Wataru to their benefit. We have to save him."

"I agree." Taiga was naive when it came to Wataru, but Bishop could live with that. "I need you to become his closest friend and confidant, make him understand what it means to be Fangire. In fact, once he starts feeling the worst effects of his change, I want you to explain things to him so he understands what's going on." Bishop had planned on explaining, but Taiga could do the grunt work just as well while he swept in and offered to help Wataru with his duties as King. The sooner Wataru relied on himself and Taiga to the exclusion of everybody else, the better it would be for him and the Fangire.

And with himself and Taiga there as Wataru's support, getting him to do his duty should be even easier than bringing Mio to do hers. Bishop smiled. This might even be easy....


End file.
